April 30, 2011

Today we drove Rt. 66 to Devil's Elbow. The committee realigned this part of the road in 1946, but before that it went through this cut, Hooker's Cut, which was once the deepest rock cut in America.

We drove into Rolla, but despite finding Rt. 66 signs, we didn't see much in the way of old buildings. The college there seems to have built many new buildings along the route, so may have torn some of the older structures down.

In Stanton, we drove 3 miles and went to the Meramec Caverns. The Caverns are near the Meramec River, which was overflowing its banks. Actually, as we came east we could see that many of the the rivers were very high, and there was a lot of standing water in the fields.

The Meramec Caverns opened in the 1930s. They claim there are 5 floors of formations. It was a cool 60 degrees. The floors were wet and some were slippery. The tour lasted a little over an hour. Outside there were people attaching to a cable and sliding over the river from one tower to another.

We came upon a sign that said "Route 66 State Park." When we got to the end of the road, the old bridge was closed, but there was a visitors' center in an old building that once housed a restaurant.

In St. Louis, we took a picture of the Arch and the Mississippi River as we crossed it into Illinois. Drove through on 70 and into Indiana, thinking we would stay in Terre Haute, but all the motels were full, so we are staying just west of Indianapolis tonight.

Pictures today: Old 66, Hooker's Cut at Devil's Elbow, Meramec Caverns, Route 66 Visitors' Center, St. Louis Arch, Mississippi River, large Cross near Effingham, IL.

(Bottom picture is from yesterday)

April 29, 2011

Left Oklahoma City area after breakfast. Took the turnpike to the Missouri state line and I44 until we reached Marshfield, MO. Finally found the downtown area and the courthouse. Many vendors were set up around it. It was the Cherry Blossom Festival. We wandered around the courthouse lawn and finally found the replica of the Hubble Space Telescope. Edwin Hubble was from Marshfield. As we were looking at it and taking photos, a woman asked us if we wanted our picture taken. Of course, we agreed. Another woman began telling us all about what was going on in town and several other interesting things. She was a great ambassador for the town and should have been working at the visitors' center.

We followed old Rt. 66 as much as we could. There were lots of old gas stations, stores, tourist cabins, motels, and bridges. The road was very rolling and the countryside very pretty.

Pictures today: Hubble Telescope replica, scenes along Rt. 66, Missouri countryside. The Munger Moss Motel is still in business, and they have redone their neon sign so it is now working again. The old truss bridge is falling apart. If it isn't repaired in the near future, not many cars will be passing over it.

April 28--John's pictures

Panhandle Plains Historical Museum: Quanah Parker(Comanche Chief-his mother was captured by Indians when she was a child, Quanah's Grandson,Dinosaur T-Rex eating elementary kids, Drilling equipment for petroleum.